The Washington critic., 1887-11-04
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

In New York, says letter to the st.
Louis Globe Democrat, Is the Rev.
Richard d. Harlan of the First Presby-
terian Church. lie is the son Of Jus.
tice Harlan of the United States Su-
preme Court. He hasn't been out OF
the seminary three years yet. He
made his debut as preacher In Wash.
ington, and has been wonderful sue.
cess from the start. lie is very tall
and slender, and has smooth face.
His voice is rich and strong and his
manner is very captivating. He occu-
pies the pulpit of the church that ia
believed to be the wealthiest In New
York. 1t is down on Washington
Square, mile below what is now the
fashionable part of the metropolis.
The consequence was that the congre.
CATION had dwindled down to not more
than hundred In number. The rich
families all remained, and the line of
carriages In front each Sunday morn.
Ing would make you think the church
was full. But strangers never went
there, and pew after pew was deserted.
But young Harlan has pulled the church
right up. He is gradually filling tho
pews, and strangers go to hear the
young man who could accomplish such
wonders. They are not disappointed.
Before the sermon Is five minutes gone,
the hearer forgets the youthful looks
of the preacher, and only knows he Is
listening to one Of the brainiest men,
with one of the richest voices, he ever
heard. 1t matters not that the preacher
hasn't been old enough to vote long.
The sermon inspires and elevates, and
the voice and manner charm. Harlan
was born orator.
~.
physical culture among men and
women of fashion is going to be more
Of rage this season than ever" says
prominent Instructor in gymnastics In
the Philadelphia Bulletin. "Itpromises
to be sort Of craze just as we see In
other directions at times, but there is
one good thing about 1t, which is that
no harm can possibly ensue. This
mania seems likely to spread among
those people whose habits cause them
TO need physical Improvement most.
Lazy and indolent most of them are,
they need something to improve their
physical tone, and II they only stick
long enough to their new fancy 1t will
do them great deal Of good. Last
year this was the craze In New York,
and some Of the women even went so
far as to take boxing lessons. do not
know that the fair ones here will reach
that point, and am not sure would
advise 1t, but In q moderate way 1t is
beneficial"
~.
Says John NJ. Francis, the proprl.
etor of the Troy Times, In London
letter to his excellent paper: Asphalt
and wood are fast superseding the Bel.
gian and other block stone pavements
In London. Within the past six years
wood pavement TO the extent Of hun.
dreds of miles has been put down un-
der the guaranty of good condition
for seven years even in Regent street
with Its enormous traffic. The work
Of construction is thorough, never
sighted as 1t was so shamefully slight
ed with us. The roadway is first cut
down about two feet; all the larger
stones are removed from the bed, leav.
ing only the finer gravel, which is
mixed with Portland cement. This
forms hard bed basis upon which are
laid the wood blocks of creosoted Nor
way pine. The seams at the surface
after being laid are filled with
tar, q heavy top dressing of
fine gravel finishing the work.
From use of the street the gravel is
driven into the tlrry interstices, and
into the wood itself, so that a smooth
surface Is assured, with the luxury of
almost noiseless streets. AS to the cost
some idea may be formed from the fact
that piece about one third OF a mile
has just been completed In Regent
street.-The width OF that avenue of
enormous traffic being fully 100 feet
under a contract with st. James parish
for the sum of $35 900, with guaranty
of good condition for seven years.
%"x
Congressman Charles A.. Boutellc of
Maine arrived In New York last
night, says Wednesdays GrWphic, and
will be added to the army of Republl-
can speakers who are to make the
interior of the State their camping
grounds during the last days of the
political canvass. Mr. Boutelle, Sailor
Charley" they call him in Washing
ton, is always big card at the end of
campaign. Next to Congressman
Burrows of Michigan, who was here
few nights ago, the genial Maine Rep
resentativc can make the best bloody.
shirt speech of any member ON the floor
of the House, Few others In Congress
are his supcriors In knocking off a
political harangue calculated to fire the
Republican heart, and he has more
tales of Southern outrages on the tip of
his tongue than would supply matter
for new and modern sized Book of
Martyrs" lie has not during the past
few sessions iuilicted upon the House
Of Representatives much of such
oratory, for whenever he attempted 1t
little Joe Wheeler of Alabama, who
has voice like squeaking door hinge,
would always stand up on chair So as
10 catch the Speakers eye aud scream
out; "Mr Speaker, ask unanimous
consent to allow the gentleman from
Maine to print his remarks" and that
usually destroyed the effect of the stage
thunder to be let Off by Mr.. BOutele.
Outside Of politics he is a charming
gentleman. bright, chatly and exceed
ingly well Informed.
~.
In an interview with reporter of
the New York Nal and Express a
leading stenographer says Shorthand
writing is very much like playing the